The Wanderer Returns

And finally the sun over Portugal remembers what it's supposed to do - shine. One of the coolest things about living here, from a Brits point of view, is that it's a lot warmer and a lot less wet than the UK. Or was. What happened? I was in the UK recently and it was the usual pre-spring weather - overcast, cold, grey. I swear on the flight back I left it behind.

Unfortunately, I've spent the last few days puddle-jumping. Fine if you really are a frog. Which I'm not.
One thing I did bring back with me though, is a child. My eldest one to be precise. He's now living and working in Lisbon. And can speak better portuguese than me, damn it!

I did make a discovery over there though. Food. As in, the food I used to eat compared to the food I eat here. Big difference. Huge. After 24 hours, I was in trouble. Toilet trouble. On returning here, I'm all good to go again. Or rather, not to 'go' quite as often. I've decided that it's all the additives we use - we all know they're there - but we're so used to them we don't even consider what filth we may be putting in our mouths ... Here, I eat only fresh food, cooked from scratch. I don't use sauces, packet mixes, granules and such. The bread here is better too. Not milled using the UK Chorley Mill process - which means portugeues bread is also free of additive filth ...

What we eat really is a cultural difference though. I have yet to see anyone buying what I'd mentally lable as junkfood in a supermarket. In fact, junkfood is rarely available here. Personally I was never a lover but hey! - it's part of your diet whether you intend it to be or not. Here I don't cook the same food as I'm used to eating. Somehow, my palate sneakily adapted, without my knowledge or consent. And I'm the better for it too.
The Youth (son) was only saying the other day that he (accidently) eats far more healthily than he did in the UK. That's not to say I was a Pot Noodle mum. I cooked dinners, pasta and what have you. But it's the stuff that's included that I believe is the problem.

Anyway. I feel better now I'm back. And the sun doing what it's paid for is a big help.